Church records are probably the most sought after genealogical record.
The fact that these entries were made in journals by the minister
performing the marriage, who also had occasion to record the baptisms or
deaths of individuals belonging to his church, are surely the foremost
reason for the popularity of this record. A record of a marriage
performed by the town clerk or a justice of the peace, while also
considered an original record, just does not carry the same weight.
Those administered and recorded by a man of the cloth are irrefutable
evidence, offering little opportunity for challenge.
To be sure,
there are likely exceptions to this personal belief, but for the moment
I wish to focus on the marriages performed at the Woolwich Church by
the Rev. Josiah Winship, of Boston and Harvard College, who was selected
to become minister at the Nequasset Township, Sagadahoc County, Maine
in 1764. He was not inclined to accept the invitation to Woolwich
[successor of Nequasset] until the following year when he was ordained
June 12, 1765, and the Nequasset Church organized by the "seven pillars
or founders." They were Rev. Josiah Winship, Samuel Ford, Jonathan Reed,
Benjamin Shaw, Joshua Bailey, Samuel Blanchard, and Nathaniel Thwing.
Rev Winship would serve fifty-nine years until his death in 1824.
The
marriages performed from 1765 to 1821 by Rev. Winship are from a
forty-six-page typescript document abstracted by the Daughters of the
Revolution at the Maine State Archives in Augusta, Maine. It has been
compared with the original manuscript, and in some instances names and
dates as they appear in the DAR document were changed to coincide with
the original manuscript [these are underlined]. The DAR document also
contains a numerical list of members of the church (1765-1809) and date
of admission (1765-1800), including the dates of death of members, the
dates they "owned ye covenant," baptisms (1765-1823), and deaths (1765-1824).
The original copy of Rev. Winship's journal is in possession of
Roland Bailey, a member of the Woolwich Historical Society. A photocopy
is on file at the Woolwich town offices and Woolwich Historical
Society. As with any transcribed document, researchers should be aware
the spelling in the original document is as it appears in Rev. Winship's
journal. Variations in surnames and Christian names are commonly found
throughout this document. Interested researchers may wish to consult the
original manuscript at the Woolwich Historical Society, by prior
arrangement with Mr. Bailey. He may be contacted at 1134 Old Stage Rd.,
Woolwich, Maine 04579, (207)-882-6891.
[1] Burnette Bailey Wallace and Frances Soule
Maher, compilers History of Woolwich, Maine – A Town Remembered (Woolwich
Historical Society, 1994), pg 26.
[2] Typescript, DAR, Records of the Rev. Josiah Winship
Woolwich Church, n.d., Maine State Library, Augusta.
MARRIAGES (1765-1821)
Robert
Lambert to Abigail Savage - June 13, 1765
William Levy to Abigail
Smith - June 13, 1765
Abraham Preble to Elizabeth Welth (Bowdenham) -
August 26, [ditto]
Thomas Howard to Mary Stinson - October
31, [ditto]
Thomas Smart to Elizabeth Pain - February 27, 1766
David
Rowel to Patience Greenleaf - May 22, [ditto]
William Slowman to
Lydea Gray of Pownalboro - November 6, 1767 [ditto]
John Night to
Sarah Dunton of Squam Island - November 27, 1767, [ditto]
Samuel Chamberlain
to Isable Boulton - November 27, [ditto]
Lemuel Trott to Martha
Motherwell - December 25, 1766
Christopher Webb to Betty Smith -
January 15, 1767
Thomas Rice Esq to Rebeckah Kingsbuary (Pownalbo) -
[ditto]
Andrew McFadden to Lucy Thomas - February 5, [ditto]
Ezra
Parker to Mary Crague - March 4, [ditto]
Isaac Savage to Deborah
Soul - [ditto] 26, [ditto]
Charles Curtice to Lydea Soul - April 30,
[ditto]
David Gilmore Jr to Julian C. Smart - July 16, [ditto]
James
Revice to Lettis Rodgers of Squam - Septem 3, [ditto]
Samuel
Jellison to Phebe Temple (Bowdenham) - [ditto] 17, [ditto]
John
Decker Jr. to Hannah Cain (Pownalbo) - Novem 12, [ditto]
Thomas
McFadden to Hannah Savage - December 31, [ditto]
John Cross to
Sarah Smith - June 13, 1768
Gabriel Hambleton to Sarah Metcalf
(Pownalbo) -[ditto] 20, [ditto]
Nathaniel Foster to Dolle Chatman -
July 7, [ditto]
Samuel Dunton to Lydea Crosby (Jeremysquam) -
November 17, [ditto]
John Brown to Lucy Richardson - July 19,
1769
Obadiah Roberson Jr to Sarah Sylvester (Pownalbo) - August 27,
[ditto]
Stephen Greenleaf to Mary Nights (Squam) - Novem 23, [ditto]
Solomon Walker Jr to Sylva Dillano - January 11, 1770
Moses Gray
to Pheby Lancaster - February 8, [ditto]
James Smith to Mary Curtice -
April 16, [ditto]
James Gray to Susannah Walker - Novem 15, [ditto]
Elijah
Grant to Hannah William - [ditto] 22, [ditto]
Henary Quint to Sarah
Honewell (Pownalbo) - December [ditto]
David Young to Rachel
Grant - June 15, 1771
William Slowman to Abigail Greenleaf (Pownalbo)
- August 15, [ditto]
Remington Hobby to Anstrus Gardner - October
28, [ditto]
Joel Reed to Eunice Webb - December 19, [ditto]
Stephen
Walker to Sebelle Williams - July 16, 1772
Jacob Rowel to Hannah
Carlton - August 6, [ditto]
Joseph Foster to Ann Gray - October 18,
[ditto]
Cornelious Horn to Mercy Chaples (Cape Newag'n) - Novem 5,
[ditto]
Samuel Mains to Margaret Grace - [ditto] 26, 1772
Joshua
Bailey Jr to Sarah Webb - December 31, [ditto]
Jonathan Colburn
to Abigail Young of Pownalbo - January 14, 1773
Daniel Smith to Mary
Wright - [ditto] 28, [ditto]
Nathaniel Williams to Susannah Gray -
March 11, [ditto]
Benjamin Brown to Susannah Shaw - May 27, [ditto]
Asa
Emerson to Parsis Brown (Hallowell) - October 17, [ditto]
Peleg
Smith to Ann Webb - November 9, [ditto]
John Gray to Mehetable
Bowen - September 1, 1774
Jonas Mitchel to Sarah McFarland - November
6, [ditto]
Car Barker to Sarah Harnden - December 8, [ditto]
Thomas
Leamon to Lydea Getchell - January 22, 1775
Benjamin Shaw to Mary
Brookens - [ditto] 25, [ditto]
John Curtice Jr. to Mary Farnham - May
4, [ditto]
John Wheeler to Dorothy Coombs (Bodinham) -
November 2, [ditto]
Amos Reed to Anna Webb - January 18, 1776
Daniel
Ring to Lydia Savage - February 1, [ditto]
Israel Smith to Jane Webb
- [ditto] 15, [ditto]
Timothy Williams to Meriam Tomson - March 29,
[ditto]
Daniel Farnham to Lois Rowel - June 13, [ditto]
Elisha
Grant to Lydea Gould - July 26, [ditto]
Ebenezer Preble to
Martha Smith - August 15, [ditto]
Timothy Dunton Jr. to Nancy Smith -
September 5, [ditto]
John Gould to Abihail Gray - November 7,
[ditto]
Jonathan Eams Jr. to Thankful Young - [ditto] 13, [ditto]
Joseph Witham to Sarah Hickey (Jermysquam Island) - March 20, 1777
Samuel
Greenleaf Jr. to Abigail Sheldon - September 18, [ditto]
John
Roberson to Ruth Webb - October 9, [ditto]
Daniel Card to Hannah
Butler - March 19, 1778
Robbert Robinson to Jane Webb - April 16,
[ditto]
Abiather Richardson to Ruth Young - [ditto] 29, [ditto]
Samuel
Preble to Lydea Blen - July 14, [ditto]
Thomas Motherwell to
Rebeckah Preble - October 20, [ditto]
Samuel Farnham to Martha
Rowel - April 8, 1779
Thomas Cook to Molley Hebbert - May 13,
[ditto]
Richard Harnden to Lucy Wade - October 28, [ditto]
Seth
Hathorn to Sarah Thwing - [ditto], [ditto], [ditto]
Gospe Hooper to
Lydea Smith - November 16, [ditto]
John Robinson to Mary Bailey -
December 14, [ditto]
Ebenezer Brookens Jr. to Mary Bullen - [ditto],
23, [ditto]
George Couch to Ann Reed - January 19, 1780
Robbert
Stinson to Thankful Winship - April 16, [ditto]
Joel Card to Hulday
Soul - May 1, [ditto]
Aaron Sawyer to Sally Hodgdon - May 11, [ditto]
John
Soule to Martha Farnham - August 17, [ditto]
John Blayer to Hannah
Rust - November 20, [ditto]
Thomas Stinson to Nancy Blayer - December
5, [ditto]
John Wright Jr. to Lucy Brookens - [ditto] 21, [ditto]
William Sheldon to Margaret Slowman - April 19, 1781
Ebenezer
Deleno to Susannah Webb - July 31, [ditto]
Ebenezer Hasey Jr
to Sarah Hathorn - October 9, [ditto]
Charles Wade to Mercy
Cushaman - [ditto], 25, [ditto]
Benjamin Curtice to Jemima Curtice -
November 22, [ditto]
Charles Smith to Thankful Sheldon - [ditto], 27,
[ditto]
Ephraim Dilano to Mary Carlton - December 25, [ditto]
William
Roberson to Marry Stinson - January 14, 1782
Archable McMurphy to
Elizabeth Holebrook - May 2, [ditto]
Levi Hamley to Mary Foster - May
9, [ditto]
Jeremiah Sprague to Hannah Pain - October 4, [ditto]
Benjamin
Bailey to Mary Dunton - November 14, [ditto]
Samuel Lummus to
Issable Sheldon - December 25, [ditto]
John Shaw to Margaret
Lancaster - [ditto] 26, [ditto]
Nathaniel Hathorn to Mary Reed -
January 22, 1783
William Hunnawill to Rebekah Snell - [ditto]
William
Hunter to Martha Reed of Topsham - July 27, [ditto]
Morril Hilton to
Widow Lydea Gould Grant - [ditto] 30, [ditto]
Peleg Bradford
to Hopestill Dilano - September 23, [ditto]
Captain Samuel
Reed to Maryford Winship - November 30, [ditto]
William Hamley to
Mary Slowman - December 4, [ditto]
John Trott to Phebe Reed -
February 5, 1784
John Blayer to Martha Carlton - March 28, [ditto]
Thomas
Snell to Widow Lydea Slowman - August 22, [ditto]
Lewis Shilling to
Hannah Blagdon - October 31, [ditto]
James Blenn Jr to Abigail Dileno
- November 22, [ditto]
William Sheldon to Sarah Webb - [ditto], 23,
[ditto]
John Emerson to Rebecckah Hodgden (Edgecomb) - May 4,
1785
James Stinson Jr to Sarah Stinson - July 31, [ditto]
John
Lancaster to Mary Webb - September 8, [ditto]
James Hathorn to Mary
Thwing - November 9, [ditto]
Robbert Burford to Sarah Peirce -
[ditto] 10, [ditto]
Joseph Atkins to Jane Blayer - [ditto] 20,
[ditto]
Samuel Hilton to Sarah Gould - February 16, 1786
Capt.
Ebenezer Smith to Susannah Stinson - [ditto], 21 , [ditto]
Benjamin
Grover to Lydea Lancaster - July 27, [ditto]
Joseph Walker to
Elizabeth Gould - [ditto], [ditto], [ditto]
John Perkens to Olive
Farnham - September 28, [ditto]
Ruben Perry to Bridget Slowman -
October 12, [ditto]
Thomas Ward to Elizabeth Worden - [ditto] 15,
[ditto
Cornelious Atkins to Sarah Leeman - [ditto] 26, [ditto]
Jabez
Bowen to Mehetable Write - December 14, [ditto]
William Stinson
to Julian Gilmore - January 18, 1787
James McKen to Mary Tebbetts -
March 22, [ditto]
Ephraim Sheldon Jr to Rachel Smith - May 10,
[ditto]
David Blenn to Lucy Fuller - June 21, [ditto]
Josiah
Brookens Jr to Elizabeth Bailey - July 14, [ditto]
John Bailey Jr to
Susannah Hodgdon - November 13, [ditto]
William Sheppard to Lucy
Brown - [ditto] 29, [ditto]
Thomas Walker to Lidea Ward - May 25,
1788
James Mansfield to Emily Ceasey [sic] - August 5, 1788
William
McFadray [sic] to Abigail McFarling - November 13, [ditto]
Zebediah
Farnham to Jane Carlton - December 16, [ditto]
Joseph Write to Molley
Brookens - [ditto], [ditto], [ditto]
Capt. Abner Wade to Hopestill
Bradford - [ditto], 17, [ditto]
William Stinson to Mary Fullerton -
[ditto], 25, [ditto]
Robert Perkins to Elisabeth Hodgdon - June
18, 1789
Theophilus Blenn to Patience Gray - October 6, [ditto]
Jonathan
Preble to Nancy Walker - [ditto] 13 , [ditto]
William Harnden
to Rachel Wade White - December 22, [ditto]
Jacob Hathorn to
Cloe Shaw - January 17, 1790
John Hathorn Jr. to Elizabeth Gray -
June 3, [ditto]
Edward Savage to Sarah Smith - [ditto] 8, [ditto]
Peleg
Tallman to Elenor Clark of Bath - [ditto], 15, [ditto]
Benjamin
Grover to Joanna Trott - August 21, [ditto]
Thomas Snell to Susannah
Hutchinson - Septem 15, [ditto]
William Blayer to Mary Blenn -
[ditto] 19, [ditto]
Luther Webb to Martha Cushman - October 7,
[ditto]
James Buker to Jane Write - [ditto] 21, [ditto]
Joseph
Curtis to Molley Lancaster - November 1, [ditto]
John
Tebbets to Patience Farnham - January 18, 1791
Phineas Farnham to
Betsey Stinson - [ditto] 25, [ditto]
Andrew Savage to Tamson Tebbetts
- April 10, [ditto]
Dr. Ebenezer Emerson to Sarah Stinson - May 15,
[ditto]
George Bailey to Rebecca Goold - July 3, [ditto]
Peter
Fisher to Sarah Foster - [ditto] 31, [ditto]
Aaron Hilton to Lydea
Webb - August 18, [ditto]
Convers Lilly to Sarah Reed - November 13,
[ditto]
John McKenney Jr to Azuba Walker - [ditto], 17, [ditto]
Robbert
Hanson to Lucy Blanchard - December 22, [ditto]
John Bailey Jr
to Susannah Brookens - January 17, 1792
Abner Perkins to Abigail
Slowman - February 21, [ditto]
Richard Nowles Jr to Mary Blayer -
June 7, [ditto]
William Whitmore to Rachel Adams - November 28,
[ditto]
Capt. Lemuel White to Thankful Delino - January 10, 1793
Solomon
Walker 2nd to Tabithy Card - February 21, [ditto]
Nathaniel Williams
to Mehetable Preble - April 11, [ditto]
William Fullerton Gilmore to
Hannah Carlton - July 30, [ditto]
Francis Blen to Sarah Brookens -
October 1, [ditto]
Lemuel Preble to Margaret Gilmore - [ditto] 31,
[ditto]
Pembleton Edgcomb to Margaret Penaman - December 26, [ditto]
Josiah Brookens Jr to Eunice Dunton - February 4, 1794
Lemuel
Carlton to Sarah Trott - July 10, [ditto]
Samuel Soul to Joanna
Farnham - August 21, [ditto]
Richard Hunnewelll Leman to Deborah
Foster - September 10, [ditto]
Capt. Ebenezer Smith to Janet McKown -
November 27 , [ditto]
Charles Curtise Jr to Hannah Lancaster -
December 25, [ditto]
Joseph Carlisle to Lucinda Williams -
February 26, 1795
William Julian Gilmore to Mary Trott - [ditto]
Benjamin
Webb to Eunis Day - May 10, 1795
Stephen Lancaster to Nancy Carlton -
September 20, [ditto]
Luk Lambert Jr to Julian Smart - October 3,
[ditto]
William Partridge to Susannah Main - December 24, [ditto]
Timothy
Williams Jr to Abigail Blackman - [ditto], [ditto], [ditto]
Job
White to Mary Slowman - January 7, 1796
George Trott to Sarah Carlton
- [ditto], 17, [ditto]
Thomas Trott to Sarah Fullerton - February
11, [ditto]
Samuel Goold Jr. to Lydea Walker - March 3, [ditto]
Asa
Whitten Jr. to Hannah Smith - [ditto] 10, [ditto]
David
Wentworth to Abigail Gray - August 28, [ditto]
Ebenezer Brookens to
Hannah Sprague - October 27, [ditto]
David Hathorn to Hannah Goold -
November 3, [ditto]
David Bailey to Prudence Hodgdon - [ditto] 8,
[ditto]
John Kelley to Jennet Gilmore - [ditto], 24, [ditto]
Thomas
Kimbal to Joanna Hathorn - December 18, [ditto]
Paltiah Getchell
to Mary Walker - January 23, 1797
Thomas Trott to Elizabeth Gilmore -
[ditto], 5, [ditto]
James Ellet to Elizabeth Snell - February 28,
[ditto]
John Brookens to Lucy Lancaster - March 1, [ditto]
Isaac
Hubbard to Lucy Walker - [ditto] 30, [ditto]
George Lily to Joanna
Trott - June 15, [ditto]
Jordan Tarbox to Patience Soul - July 27,
[ditto]
Benjamin Blanchard to Deborah Farnham - August 17, [ditto]
Samuel
Blanchard to Lydea Curtis - September 24, [ditto]
Silas Smith to
Margaret Blackman - October 26, [ditto]
Francis Bartlett to Eliza
Stephens - March 4, 1798
Charles Perry to Sarah Blair - May
3, [ditto]
Robert Hood to Martha Preble - June 3, [ditto]
John Greenough
Thwing to Priscilla Trott - August 26, [ditto]
Samuel Hunnewell to
Rachel Walker - November 29, [ditto]
William Eliot Jr to Meriam Shaw -
December 29, [ditto]
Peter Walker to Rachel Trott - January 31,
1799
Philip White to Abigail Nason - February 26, [ditto]
Jesse
Bailey to Eunice Goold - March 28, [ditto]
Joshua Boynton to Beza
Delano - June 13, [ditto]
Noah Farnham to Miriam Brookens - August
13, [ditto]
Caleb Stevens to Sarah Green Thomas - October 31, [ditto]
Nathaniel
Goold to Mary Carlisle - November 3, [ditto]
William Dickerson
to Damaris Shaw - December 22, [ditto]
Joseph Snell to Betsey
Bailey - March 12, 1800
Luther Brookens to Mary Blackman - [ditto]
13, [ditto]
Clement Collins to Martha Blackman - November 27, [ditto]
Ephraim
Smith to Sarah Gray - [ditto], [ditto], [ditto]
David Gilmore
Jr. to Esther Hathorn - February 16, 1801
George Frazel to Ruth White
- April 12, [ditto]
Charles McKenney to Louis Mitchell - May 12,
[ditto]
Peleg Delano to Sally Day - August 13, [ditto]
Richard
Mitchell to Rhoda Savage - [ditto] 28, [ditto]
Stephen Stinson to
Louis Day - November 12, [ditto]
John G. Carlton to Hannah
Whitten - December 24, 1801
Oliver Dickerson to Sally Bailey -
[ditto] 29, [ditto]
John Farnham to Mary Bagley - March 7, 1802
James
Tebbets to Abihail Gould - June 20, [ditto]
Francis Norris to Peggy
Blair - October 17, [ditto]
William Haines to Experience Preble -
[ditto] 31, [ditto]
Jonathan Preble Jr. to Susannah Preble - December
9, [ditto]
David Owen to Mehetable Reed - February 3, 1803
Charles
Houdlett to Susanna Reed - March 10, [ditto]
Ebenezer McLoon to
Betsey Lilley - April 18, [ditto]
Ezekiel Walker to Rebekah Blackman -
June 14, [ditto]
Francis Tole to Mary Sprague - August
7, [ditto]
John Getchell to Nancy Bailey - September 15, [ditto]
Nathaniel
Tibbets to Abihail Gould - [ditto], 27, [ditto]
Thomas Tibbetts to
Abigail Bailey - [ditto], 27 , [ditto]
Phineas Thompson to
Mehetable Preble - October 11, [ditto]
George Rogers to Betteris
Mains - November 6, [ditto]
Solomon Sevey Jr. to Polley Shaw -
December 22, [ditto]
Charles Carter to Lucy Curtis - February 2,
1804
Jacob Savage to Sarah Mitchell - May 3, [ditto]
James Peavey
to Rachel Savage - June 28, [ditto]
John Dennett to Anna Gilmore -
August 19, [ditto]
Ephraim Wilcock to Sarah Curtis - October 28,
[ditto]
John Nutter to Mary Gould - November 4, [ditto]
Isaac
Smith to Thankful Stinson - January 31, 1805
Samuel Harnden Jr. to
Susannah Sergent - March 21, [ditto]
Isaiah Hedge to Martha Farnham -
May 1, [ditto]
James Blair 3d to Esther Beath - [ditto], 28, [ditto]
Ebenezer
Lancaster to Mercy Trott - June 25, [ditto]
Lemuell Newall to Esther
Curtis - September 15, [ditto]
Charles Nickels to Lucy Delano -
December 10, [ditto]
Joseph Day to Rachel Motherwell - [ditto] 30,
[ditto]
John Gilmore to Susannah Fullerton - February 27, 1806
Jonathan
Rowell to Clauda Shaw - March 16, [ditto]
Samuel Hathorn to Abigail
Whitten - May 18, [ditto]
Seph Hathorn 2nd to Mary Hathorn - June 12,
[ditto]
William Fullerton to Rebecca Bailey - September 2, [ditto]
Simon
Slowman to Hannah Thomas - [ditto], 25, [ditto]
William Trott to
Katherine Gilmore - October 22, 1807
John White to Bethany Curtis -
[ditto], 29, [ditto]
John Delano to Mary Curtis - December 12,
[ditto]
William Williams to Amy Gray - [ditto] 22, [ditto]
William
Pain to Ruth Curtis - April 24, 1808
James Mains to Martha Blair -
[ditto] 25, [ditto]
Alfred Stinson to Jane Blair - May 22,
[ditto]
John Card to Elizabeth Reed - October 30, [ditto]
William
Kirk to Mary Atkins - May 14, 1809
John Stinson to Hopestill Delano -
November 4, 1810
Christopher P Ryan to Joanna F Otis - November 4,
1810
Thomas Motherwell to Jane M Harnden - May 2, 1811
Samuel
H Fullerton to Jane Delano - October 17, [ditto]
William Tallman
to Mary B Ryan - April 25, 1813
Francis Preble to Abigail Hodgdon
- May 12, [ditto]
Thurston Card to Joanna Bailey - March 31, 1814
Able
Rice to Joanna Brown - April 10, [ditto]
Joseph Blackman to Susannah
Hathorn - December 29, [ditto]
Turner Wade to Hannah Farnham -
[ditto], [ditto], [ditto]
James Blair to Mary Monroe - February
21, 1815
Zebulon Newell to Elizabeth Knowlton - July 30, [ditto]
Henry
Oliver to Betsey C Hodgkins - August 29, [ditto]
Thomas Stinson Jr.
to Mary Hodgkins - November 18 , [ditto]
John Gilmore to
Joanna Stinson - January 7, 1816
Ephraim Farnham to Olive Turner -
May 2, [ditto]
Joshua Cornish to Linda Harthan -
November 18, [ditto]
Joseph Card to Mary Carter - January 16, 1820
Timothy Witham to Martha Collins - January 4, 1821